The Red Sea/East Africa and the Gulf. An Archaeological and Historical Investigation of the African Diaspora in Bahrain during the Islamic Period (7th - 20th century AD)

Abstract

Africans from the Red Sea and East Africa ('the African diaspora') were dispersed throughout the Arabian-Persian Gulf ('the Gulf') in the Islamic Period (7th to the 20th centuries). This dispersal was due to slavery, trade, empire, and colonialism, which operated within the wider Indian Ocean. Bahrain, located at the heart of the Gulf, was one of the destinations for many of these Africans. However, their history in Bahrain and the Gulf has not been studied archaeologically yet. In previous studies, the African diaspora is primarily identified through their musical and ritual traditions, such as leiwa, tambura, and zār. Their history has been understood through textual sources, which require material evidence to be substantiated. This thesis explores the material evidence of the African diaspora in Bahrain and the Gulf. By doing so, I also aim to investigate the historical link between the Red Sea/East Africa and the Gulf during the Islamic Period (7th - 20th centuries). In this study, I primarily examine African ceramic styles collected from excavations and surveys conducted in Bahrain between 2018-2021. These ceramic styles correspond with Triangular Incised Ware, Rouletted Ware, Black Slipped, and Red Slipped types found in the Red Sea and wider East Africa. Additionally, I conducted archaeological investigations in three villages in Bahrain with toponyms indicating African affiliation. Finally, I used primary and secondary sources to provide a historical context for the archaeological evidence and explore the African presence during the age of empire and colonialism from the 17th to the 20th centuries. This research provides insight into the African diaspora's rich but complex heritage in Bahrain and the Gulf.